Arbor, who are you?

Have you ever wondered who these superhuman beings are, standing proudly through the ages? Or where do those feelings of well-being and calm come from after a walk in the woods? And as a child, why did you have an irrepressible urge to climb trees and daydream? Where does this force of attraction between us and these static giants come from?

Even in their time, our ancestors venerated them. They were regarded as living beings, each endowed with a specific healing and harmonizing energy. Modern man, for his part, is gradually rediscovering the power of forests and trees through sylvotherapy or Shinrin-yoku, a practice developed in Japan in the 1980s. These approaches are proving popular with city dwellers in search of serenity and balance.

But what’s all the fuss about? One plausible explanation is that trees have emotions too. They feel pain, of course, but also feelings like fear and empathy. Trees help each other. They can bond together like an old couple, and they take care of each other. Did you know that when a pest attacks a tree, it will not fail to warn its fellows? So who’s to say that a tree doesn’t have the knowledge and remedies to ease our anxieties and pain, simply by being there, by our side?

BCUL has selected a range of documents to answer all these questions and more! Let yourself be guided by the rustle of the leaves and discover our selection in front of the counters on the Riponne site, until May 12, or on eLectures.

Trees still have a lot to tell us. It’s up to us to listen…

Ana, Riponne site